Draft-regulator.



T. G. MEAS.

DRAFT REGULATOR.

APPLIOATION FILED Mn 5, 1009.

980,3 1 7 Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

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THEODORE G. MEAS, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

DRAFT-REGULATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 3, 1911.

Application filed May 5, 1909. Serial No. 494,092.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE G. Mnas, citizen of the United States,residing at Lansing, in the county of lngham and State of hflichigan,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft-Regulators,of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to draft regulators and has especial reference toautomatic devices of this class in which the desired me chanical actionis produced at predetermined times.

The chief objects of the improvements which constitute the subjectmatter of this application are :--to provide a time controlled apparatusfor opening and closing the draft doors of a furnace, or that willconnect the draft regulating devices or means with automatic controllingmechanism therefor at a predetermined time; to furnish a device for thepurpose stated that may be operated by simple clock mechanism, timepieces of a type in common use being utilized for this purpose, thusconducing to economy in the cost of the apparatus; and to produce asimple, efiicient and durable mechanism to accomplish the resultssought.

A further object of the invention is to combine the timing mechanismwith the weight used to counterbalance the regulating dampers, thusproducing a more compact device than would otherwise result.

I accomplish the desired objects by means of the apparatus illustratedin the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of this application, thesalient points in the construction being disclosed in the followingviews:-

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the weight and clock carrying frame andconnecting rod, with draft door connecting arm and catch in position onthe latter; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the weight and clock carryingframe, showing manner of supporting the clock casing; Fig. 3 is a viewshowing a heater in frontelevation, illustrating the manner of attachingthe improved governing device to automatic draft regulating mechanism,and Fig. t is a top plan view of the automatic catch with damper armattached, on enlarged scale.

Referring to the details of the drawin the numeral 5 indicates arectangular casing adapted to slide in a frame (5 comprising verticalrods 7 connected above and below by tie plates 8 the ends. of the rodsbeing threaded for retaining nuts 9. The top and bottom plates 10 of thecasing 5, extend laterally beyond the body of the casing, and arefurnished with suitable holes through which the rods pass so as topermit the easing to slide easily thereon. Near the upper portion of thecasing 5 is secured an ordinary alarm clock 11 of the circular type.supported upon a bracket 12, the ends of which are secured to the sidesof the casing. The rear plate 13 extends over the lower portion only ofthe casing, leaving the upper part open at 141 to give convenient accessto the clock, and also to the interior of the case while the lower partof the casing is entirely incloscd forming a compartment or receptaclefor the insertion of a suitable weight 15. I prefer to employ ordinaryshot for this purpose, a sullicient quantity being poured into thebottom of the casing through the opening 141.

The frame 6 is supported by a short chain 16, from the end of anrarm 17,the latter formin a part of an automatic draft regulating device, whichmay be any one of the many types in common use, said arm projecting inthe usual manner from the upper part of the furnace or heater 18. To thecenter of the lower frame or tie-plate 8 is attached a pendentconnecting rod 19, which extends downward to the vicinity of a draftregulating door 20 hinged to the said furnace. Upon the lower end ofsaid rod is slidably mounted a catch 21., comprising a block 22, havinga hole 23, throu h which the connecting rod 19 passes. fipon one side ofthe said bolck is mounted a latch member 24 pivoted by a pin 25 in cars26. One end of said latch is curved and adapted to pass through a slot27, which permits the end of the latch to project into the hole 23 whennot restrained, a coiled spring 28 urging the latch to this position.The engaging end 29 of the latch is furnished with a curved notch 29which is adapted to conform to the curvature of the rod 19. The latch 24and block 22 are each provided with a suitable handle 31, 32. To the endof the block 22 opposite its handle 31 is attached a damper or valve armin the form of a rod 33, the connection to the block being in the formof a swivel 34, which permits the said arm to have a rotary adjustmentrelative to the catch. The lower end of the connecting rod 19 isfurnished with spaced notches with which the latch member 24 is adaptedto engage.

The draft door arm 33 is operatively connected with the casing 5 by achain 35 which passes over a grooved pulley 37 mounted in a housing 38secured to the upper tie plate 8. Projecting from the rear of the topplate 8 is a short fixed arm 39 to which is pivoted a trip lever 40having its lower end bent at a right angle toward the frame to form alug or finger 41. The function of the trip lever is to hold the weightedcasing 5 at the top of the frame 6 by the engagement of the said finger41 with the key 42 which serves to Wind the alarm mechanism of theclock, and which is arranged to project to a sufficient extent from therear of the casing, as shown in Fig. 1.

Provision is made for lessening the shock of the falling counterweightby the intro duction of buffers in the form of coiled springs 44embracing the frame rods 7 immediately above the lower tie plate 8.

The manner in which my improved draft regulating apparatus operates isas fol lows :To set the mechanism the catch 21 is released from the rod19 and the arm 33 moved downward until the door 20 is closed thusshutting ofi the draft. This movement of the arm 33, through the mediumof the chain 36, will raise the casing 5 to the top of its frame 6. Theoperator will then bring the finger 41 beneath the key 42, thus holdingthe casing at its upper position. It will be understood that the alarmmechanism has beenpreviously wound and properly set. The parts beingadjusted as described, no movement will take place until such time asthe alarm is released by the clock mechanism in the usual manner. Whenthe alarm is thus released the key 42 will turn and one of its wings 43will strike the finger 41 and swing the latch laterally, and thereleased casing 5 will then descend to the bottom of the frame 6, thebuffer springs 44 serving to lessen the shock of its fall. atthe sametime the chain 36 will elevate the arm 33, opening the door 20, whilethe latch 24 will engage one of the notches 35 and pre- 1 vent anyfurther movement of said arm relatively to the rod 19 until theapparatus 1s reset. As the damper arm 33 will, by means of the said rodand frame 6, be directly connected with the regulating arm. 17, anyfurther required movements of said damper will be taken care of by theautomatically operated apparatus installed for that purpose, and ofwhich the arm 17 forms a part, the said arm being the only portion ofsaid apparatus shown in the drawing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, is

1. In damper regulating means, a clock case adapted to form a gravityoperating counterweight for the damper, operative connection betweensaid clock case and the damper, means for holding said case againstgravity, and clock mechanism mounted in said case and adapted to releasesaid holding means at a predetermined time.

2. In damper regulating means, a clock case adapted to form a gravityoperating counterweight for the damper, an adjustable connection betweensaid case and the damper, means for holding said case against gravity,clock-mechanism including a key, mounted in said case, said key arrangedto automatically release said holding means through the operation of theclock-mechanism.

3. In a draft regulating device, the combination with a damper, of acounterweight for said damper, said counterweight including a slidablecasing, and clock mechanism arranged in the casing, a support for thecounterweight, adjustable connection between the said support and thedamper, a. connection between the counterweight and the damper, atripping device adapted to retain the counterweight at its elevatedposition, and means operated by the clock mechanism for releasing thetripping device at a predetermined time.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

THEODORE G. MEAS. lVitnesses ORIEN A. JENIsoN, FRANCES M. SHANK.

